Inutsuka Ayumu, Yamanaka Akihiro
Department of Neuroscience II, Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
Nagoya J Med Sci. 2013 Feb;75(1-2):29-36.
Orexins, also known as hypocretins, are neuropeptides that are exclusively expressed by neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area. Although originally recognized as regulators of feeding behavior, orexins are now mainly regarded as key modulators of the sleep/wakefulness cycle. In addition, anatomical studies of neural networks and analyses of transgenic mice have revealed integrated roles for orexin neurons in the coordination of emotion, energy homeostasis, and the reward system. A functional link between the limbic system and orexin neurons may be important for increasing vigilance in response to emotional stimuli. These findings suggest that orexin neurons relay information about an organism's environment to maintain the proper amount of sleep and wakefulness in animals.
食欲素，也被称为下丘脑泌素，是一种仅由下丘脑外侧区的神经元表达的神经肽。尽管食欲素最初被认为是进食行为的调节因子，但现在主要被视为睡眠/觉醒周期的关键调节因子。此外，神经网络的解剖学研究和转基因小鼠的分析表明，食欲素神经元在情绪协调、能量稳态和奖励系统中发挥着综合作用。边缘系统与食欲素神经元之间的功能联系可能对提高对情绪刺激的警觉性很重要。这些发现表明，食欲素神经元传递有关生物体环境的信息，以维持动物适当的睡眠和觉醒量。
